U.S. patent number 4,607,395 [Application Number 06/577,588] was granted by the patent office on 1986-08-19 for helmet radio control package.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Bell Helmets Inc.. Invention is credited to James G. Sundahl.
United States Patent |
4,607,395 |
Sundahl |
August 19, 1986 |
Helmet radio control package
Abstract
A radio attachable to a cyclist's helmet comprises: (a) a
receptacle having a generally annular side wall and a bottom wall,
the receptacle attachable to a helmet surface with said bottom wall
facing said surface, (b) radio circuitry within the receptacle, and
(c) a large radio control knob fitted to the receptacle and
rotatable thereon, to control said circuitry, whereby the cyclist
may manually reach to the vicinity of his helmet to turn said
knob.
Inventors: |
Sundahl; James G. (Irvine,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Bell Helmets Inc. (Norwalk,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
24309376 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/577,588 |
Filed: |
February 6, 1984 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/351; 338/163;
455/100; 74/10.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B
3/30 (20130101); H04B 1/088 (20130101); H01Q
1/276 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A42B
3/04 (20060101); A42B 3/30 (20060101); H01Q
1/27 (20060101); H04B 1/08 (20060101); H04B
001/08 (); H04B 001/38 (); H01C 010/32 (); F16H
035/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;455/351,89,90,95,100
;338/68,163,164,199,160 ;179/156R,182R,182A ;381/86,109
;74/55,10.6 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Hill; Popular Science; "Helmet Radio: For Rappin' on the Road"; p.
32; Mar. 1974..
|
Primary Examiner: Bookbinder; Marc E.
Assistant Examiner: Telesz; Andrew
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Haefliger; William W.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a radio attachable to a cyclist's helmet, the combination
comprising
(a) a receptacle having a generally annular side wall and a bottom
wall, the receptacle attachable to a helmet surface with said
bottom wall facing said surface,
(b) radio circuitry within the receptacle, and
(c) a large radio control knob fitted to the receptacle and
rotatable thereon, to control said circuitry whereby the cyclist
may manually reach to the vicinity of his helmet to turn said
knob,
(d) said radio circuitry comprising FM circuitry having an
adjustable component for controlling the power level of FM
transmission, said knob operatively connected with said component
to adjust same as the knob is rotated,
(e) the knob having two track sections, which are circularly spaced
about an axis of rotation defined by the knob, one section
controllably adjusting said component when the knob is rotated
clockwise, and the other section controllably adjusting said
component when the knob is rotated counterclockwise.
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said sections are generally
symmetrical.
3. The combination of claim 1 including a radio circuitry ON-OFF
control activated to ON condition when the knob is rotated either
clockwise or counterclockwise from a center position.
4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said track sections merge at
a radially widened track portion to receive a component arm in a
range of radial positions, and corresponding to a removal position
of the knob off the receptacle, the track having camming surfaces
to cam said arm into narrowed track region as the knob is
rotated.
5. The combination of claim 1 including an antenna electrically
connected to said circuitry, and carried by the receptacle outside
the helmet, whereby the receptacle, knob and antenna may be removed
as a unit from the helmet.
6. The combination of claim 1 including a cushion layer extending
proximate said receptacle bottom wall and having a concave side to
approximately fit a convex contour of the helmet surface.
7. The combination of claim 1 including an adhesive layer
associated with said receptacle bottom wall.
8. The combination of any one of claims 5, 6 and 7 including said
helmet to which the radio is attached.
9. The combination of claim 5 wherein said component comprises a
potentiometer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to control of radios associated
with cyclists' helmets; more specifically it concerns control of a
radio at the rear of the helmet.
There is need for easily controllable radios associated with
cyclists' helmets to facilitate two-way communication, and without
interferring with cyclists' arm movements. Such interference would
unduly endanger cyclists, traveling at high speeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a major object of the invention to provide a radio meeting
the above need. Basically, the invention comprises a radio
attachable to a cyclist's helmet, at a rearward, external and
accessible location, and characterized by
(a) a receptacle having a generally annular side wall and a bottom
wall, the receptacle attachable to a helmet surface with said
bottom wall facing said surface,
(b) radio circuitry within the receptacle, and
(c) a large radio control knob fitted to the receptacle and
rotatable thereon, to control said circuitry, whereby the cyclist
may manually reach to the vicinity of his helmet to turn said
knob.
As will appear, the radio is attachable to the rear convex side of
the helmet by means, as for example a plastic foam cushion
isolating the radio from shocks to the helmet, or an adhesive layer
enabling removal of the radio, when desired. Also, the large knob
may be rotatable in either direction to control the radio, so that
either left or right hands of the cyclist, typically mitted or
gloved, may be employed to rotate the large knob at the rear of the
helmet. A track or track section on the knob is employed to
displace an impedance adjusting component for the radio, and in
such manner as to allow knob rotation in either direction, and knob
removal in a pre-determined position, for access to the radio
battery.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as
the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully
understood from the following description and drawings, in
which:
DRAWING DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a helmet with a radio and
control, attached;
FIG. 1a is a schematic view;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged frontal elevational view of the radio and
control; and 2a is taken on lines 2a--2a;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational knob on lines 3--3 of FIG. 2
FIG. 4 is a section through the radio and control;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional showing of interior
details;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of control structure within the control
knob;
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a structure within the case; and
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a printed circuit board.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring first to FIG. 1, a cyclist's helmet 10 has a rear wall or
surface 11 that is convexly curved. See also FIG. 5 showing such
curvature. The domed top of the helmet appear at 12, and the front
transparent window at 13. Attached to rear surface 11 is a two-way
radio 14, having a large control knob 15 which the cyclist may
rotate, as by reaching back with one hand, to control the radio
(volume or amplification, for example). Thus, the radio is not in a
position of mechanically interferring with the cyclist's arm
movement in controlling his bicycle or motorcycle. An antenna 65
extends upwardly from the radio receptacle 16, and speaker and
microphone wiring extends at 17 from the bottom of the receptacle
downwardly to the lower edge 11a of the helmet wall 11. Such wiring
thereby enters the helmet to speaker 18 and microphone 19 units
carried by the helmet near the cyclist's ear and mouth regions.
FIG. 1a shows the organization, the radio is typically an FM unit.
FIG. 1a schematically shows speaker and microphone units 18 and
19.
Extending the description to FIGS. 3-5, the radio unit 14 comprises
a receptacle 16 having a generally annular side wall 16a and a base
or bottom wall 16b facing toward and attachable to the helmet wall
surface 11. Radio circuitry is typically carried on a printed
circuit (PC) board 20 located within the receptacle, as indicated.
Self tapping or other fasteners 21 attach the board to bosses 22
integral with wall 16b. FIG. 8 shows the circular outline board 20
as having a cut-out region 23 to receive a 9-volt battery (power
supply for the radio). Tabs 24 are provided on the board, or on a
clip associated with the board, to hold the battery 25 in position.
The board fits within the interior 26 of the receptacle, a notch 27
in the bond edge registering with a lug 28 in receptacle wall 16a
as in FIG. 7. Note hole 29 in wall 16a to pass the antenna, and
hole 30 in that wall to pass wiring 17. Battery holding notches
appear at 31. The board may also carry an adjustable component (for
example, adjustable impedance, one example being a resistor). See
for example the potentiometer slide or wire 32.
Another component, as for example wiper arm 33, is movable
generally radially relative to the slide 32, and through a radial
range indicated by broken lines 33a to vary the impedance, as for
example the resistance of the potentiometer, for volume control of
radio reception, for example.
The wiper position is controlled as by a large control knob 15
fitted to the receptacle and rotatable thereon, as by one handed
manipulation of the cyclist, as he reaches to the backside of his
helmet. The illustrated knob has an outer wall 35a, and annular
skirt 35b extending telescopically relative to receptacle wall 16a.
The skirt has sector shaped lips 35c underlapping flange 16c or
wall 16a, to retain the knob to the receptacle; however, when the
knob has been rotated to register lips 35c with notches 16d in
flange 16c, the knob is removable off the receptacle, to provide
access to the battery, for replacement.
FIG. 6 shows a track 40 provided between flanges 41 and 42 integral
with the knob. The radial distance of the track from the axis of
rotation 43 varies about that axis, as shown, whereby as the knob
is rotated, the arm 33 received in the track is displaced radially,
to vary the resistance, as described.
The track is shown to have like sections, at opposite sides of a
diameter line 46, whereby the arm 33 is shifted radially an amount
which is the same for the same extents of clockwise or a
counterclockwise knob rotation. When the arm is in radially widened
track region 40a, it may have any of a number of radial positions,
accommodating removal and replacement of the knob, as described;
however, as the knob is then rotated, the inner flange extent 40b
causes the arm to enter the narrow track region associated with
controlled radial displacement of the arm, as described. Silicone
grease may be provided in the track, to facilitate arm sliding. Arm
33 moves radially in a guide in pot 32.
An ON-OFF cam 50 on the knob is adapted to engage an ON-OFF switch
51 in the receptacle, and carried on PC board 20, to activate the
radio as the knob is rotated in either direction from a centered
position in which the arm 33 is diametrically opposite the widened
track region 40a.
Note also the stop lug 52 on the receptacle which is engageable by
the lug 53 on the knob when the knob is in removable position.
A means is associated with the receptacle and via which the
receptacle is attachable to the helmet surface. FIG. 5 shows, for
example, a cushion layer 64 (foam plastic such as polyurethane)
attached at 61 to the helmet along curved surface 11. An adhesive
layer 62 may join the bottom wall 16b to the layer 64; or an
adhesive layer 63 may join the layer 64 to the helmet surface.
O-ring 70 on receptacle wall 16a engages the inner side 35e of the
knob wall 35b to provide friction holding the knob in a selected
position relative to the receptacle. See FIG. 5.
Latch 84 on the knob may be depressed into notches 16d to block
knob rotation, if desired.
Numeral 85 in FIG. 8 indicates circuitry on board 20.
* * * * *